Bible Strands
Zephaniah 1:4
“I will stretch out My hand against Judah and against all who dwell in Jerusalem. I will cut off from this place every remnant of Baal, the names of the idolatrous and pagan priests—
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — YHWH pronounces impending judgment against Judah and Jerusalem as part of a broader prophetic warning of sweeping destruction. The speaker addresses the covenant community during a moment of declared covenantal wrath.
The words — וְנָטִיתִי יָדִי (ve./na.Ti.ti ya.D/i) literally means "and I will stretch out my hand," denoting direct divine action. עַל יְהוּדָה וְעַל כָּל יוֹשְׁבֵי יְרוּשָׁלִַם (al ye.hu.Dah ve. 'Al kol yo.she.Vei ye.ru.sha.Lim) specifies the targets as Judah and all its inhabitants.
The thread — This judgment motif runs alongside Hosea 10:5 regarding idolatrous priests, 2 Kings 23:4 on temple purification, and Micah 5:13 where carved images are removed. The text traces a consistent prophetic pattern of purging covenant communities from pagan worship.
Why it lands — The passage demands recognition that divine authority actively opposes syncretism and idolatry within the covenant community. It requires readers to identify and reject any allegiance that competes with exclusive devotion to God.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
I will also stretch out mine hand upon Judah, and upon all the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and I will cut off the remnant of Baal from this place, and the name of the Chemarims with the priests;
Cross-references
- Hosea 10:5 The people of Samaria will fear for the calf of Beth-aven. Indeed, its people will mourn over it with its idolatrous priests—those who rejoiced in its glory—for it has been taken from them into exile.
- 2 Kings 23:4 Then the king commanded Hilkiah the high priest, the priests second in rank, and the doorkeepers to remove from the temple of the LORD all the articles made for Baal, Asherah, and all the host of heaven. And he burned them outside Jerusalem in the fields of Kidron and carried their ashes to Bethel.
- Micah 5:13 I will also cut off the carved images and sacred pillars from among you, so that you will no longer bow down to the work of your own hands.
- 2 Kings 21:13 I will stretch out over Jerusalem the measuring line used against Samaria and the plumb line used against the house of Ahab, and I will wipe out Jerusalem as one wipes out a bowl—wiping it and turning it upside down.
- 2 Chronicles 34:4 Then in his presence the altars of the Baals were torn down, and he cut to pieces the incense altars that were above them. He shattered the Asherah poles, the carved idols, and the cast images, crushed them to dust, and scattered them over the graves of those who had sacrificed to them.
- Isaiah 14:26 This is the plan devised for the whole earth, and this is the hand stretched out over all the nations.
- Jeremiah 6:12 Their houses will be turned over to others, their fields and wives as well, for I will stretch out My hand against the inhabitants of the land,” declares the LORD.
- Exodus 15:12 You stretched out Your right hand, and the earth swallowed them up.